Jharkhand: On his first day, CM Hemant Soren drops Pathalgadi sedition cases against tribals

Of 47 seats won by alliance, over two-thirds came from tribal-dominated districts

Hemant Soren takes oath as 11th chief minister of Jharkhand Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his oath-taking ceremony | PTI

The Jharkhand coalition government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren has decided to drop all sedition cases registered against the supporters of Pathalgadi movement and those who protested amendments in the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act and Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act,The Indian Express reported. This was the first decision made after JMM leader Hemant Soren took oath as Jharkhand chief minister on Sunday. The ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders and regional satraps, in a show of unity that could be a harbinger of a broad-based anti-BJP alliance amid the uproar over the new citizenship law. 

The decision was made during the first meeting of the state cabinet, which decided to convene a three-day session of the assembly from January 6. Senior JMM MLA Stephen Marandi, who was named as pro-tem speaker, will conduct the proceeding till a regular speaker is elected.

In July 2018, tribals from over 200 villagers launched the Pathalgadi movement to protest the state government’s attempt to tweak their land rights. Instead of reaching out to the locals, Das’s government went after the tribals and booked nearly 10,000 for sedition. In early 2018, the Das government also tried but failed to amend pre-independence era laws—Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Pragana Tenancy Act—that give tribals the right to protect their land from the government and corporates. 

Of 47 seats won by the JMM-led alliance, over two-thirds came from districts that have more than 28 per cent tribal population. On the contrary, BJP only managed to win five seats from these places. The BJP has managed to win only two out of the 28 reserved seats.

Changes in land acquisition laws, withdrawal of para-military force and police from the scheduled areas, withdrawal of sedition cases against the agitators and more funds for gram sabhas were some of the key demands raised Pathalgadi leaders. They also demanded that the tribals not be branded as naxals. Soren had, during the campaign trail, raised his voice against the "BJP who has been trying to snatch away land from tribals".

An alliance with JMM, RJD and Congress had won the recent Jharkhand assembly elections. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, TMC boss and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh counterparts Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D. Raja, DMK leader M.K. Stalin, his sister Kanimozhi, and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav had attended the swearing-in ceremony. 

-Inputs from PTI, Pradip Sagar

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